College awarded $2 million grant
By From staff reports
Published in News on July 6, 2018 5:50 AM
KENANSVILLE -- James Sprunt Community College will receive a $2 million grant to construct a workforce training facility that will expand its licensed practical nursing and registered nursing programs.
According to the college estimates, the project is expected to create 111 jobs and spur $12 million in private investment.
The project will provide critical resources to meet the demand for health care professionals in rural North Carolina.
Specifically, the investment will fund the construction of a two-story classroom and lab facility, designed to foster the development of a skilled, local workforce.
The project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Eastern Carolina Council.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced Thursday that the Department's Economic Development Administration is awarding the grant. EDA funds the Eastern Carolina Council to bring together the public and private sectors to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment and create jobs.
"The construction of the James Sprunt Community College workforce training facility will help those in the community gain the skills necessary to succeed," Ross said.
"This is an important investment in rural eastern North Carolina that will help people stay near home to get trained in a high-demand profession, with good-paying jobs that help families access needed health care," Gov. Roy Cooper said. "Training North Carolinians to get the skills for jobs available right now has never been more important."
"The announcement of this grant is great news for our community -- bringing more than 100 jobs and $12 million in economic investment," said U.S. Rep. David Rouzer, R-N.C.
"I applaud the Trump administration's commitment to vocational and technical education and for utilizing the funds appropriated by Congress to leverage additional resources for this project which will benefit the economy, create jobs and improve access to quality health care in eastern North Carolina."